NEW YORK — A person with knowledge of the deal says the New York Knicks have agreed to trade centre Willy Hernangomez to the Charlotte Hornets.

The person says the Knicks will receive a pair of second-round picks and Johnny O’Bryant in the deal that was agreed to Wednesday, the day before the NBA trade deadline. The person spoke with The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the trade is not yet official.

The deal was first reported by Yahoo! Sports.

Hernangomez was an all-rookie selection last season and had been identified by team management during the summer as an important piece of the Knicks’ future. But the Knicks then acquired Enes Kanter from Oklahoma City in the Carmelo Anthony trade and Hernangomez fell to third in the centre rotation behind Kanter and Kyle O’Quinn.

The deal comes hours after the Knicks lost All-Star Kristaps Porzingis to a torn ACL.

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